No more Fun and Games 2
by Wonderbee31
Summary: Fry and Leela have to be apart for a year. Will their relationship be able to survive? Only time will tell
1. Getting settled in

All the Characters in this fan-fiction (Fry, Leela, Hermes, Bender, and all the rest) are all Copyright to FOX and The Curiosity Company. I am making no money off of this and am doing it for my own and other people's enjoyment. If you wish to use this fiction, I ask that you use the whole thing, not just part of it.  
  
No More Fun and Games 2  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Day 1  
  
Fry heard the familiar sound of the Planet Express ship's engines as it left  
  
Vektor 5, and felt more than a touch of sadness, because he knew that he  
  
wouldn't likely hear them again for quite some time.  
  
Fry: (to himself) Well, at least when I hear them again, it'll be because  
  
I'll be going back home, and Leela and I will finally be able to be with one  
  
another again.  
  
He smiled to himself, as Leela's voice, which could be pretty loud when she  
  
wanted it to be, had carried awfully far indeed. A lot of people had smiled  
  
when they had heard her yell at the top of her lungs  
  
(Flashback)  
  
Leela: PHILIP J. FRY! I LOVE YOU! YOU'D BETTER COME BACK TO ME IN ONE PIECE, BECAUSE THERE'S SOMEONE THAT WE'RE BOTH GOING TO MEET AS SOON AS YOU GET BACK!  
  
(Flashback ends)  
  
Fry had a feeling that she was talking about a certain preacher, though she  
  
hadn't actually said that, so he couldn't be 100% positive. But, he had to  
  
hope, and at least she had said that she loved him, and he loved her too, so  
  
what could go wrong?  
  
Meanwhile, the Planet Express ship was flying back to Earth, at a much  
  
slower speed that it had been going earlier that day. Inside, Hermes was  
  
sitting on the couch, softly humming a tune, while the ship's captain,  
  
Turanga Leela, was thinking quietly to herself.  
  
Leela: (Thinking) Well, I finally told Fry my real feelings about him, and  
  
it wasn't so bad. He didn't laugh, or make fun of me, or anything. I just  
  
wish that I'd just had the courage to have told him all that before he got this stupid  
  
idea that I didn't respect him.  
  
Just then, another part of Leela's mind spoke up.  
  
Leela 2: Well its not like we've ever encouraged him that much, is it? How do you think  
  
he felt when you were going on your date with Chaz, and you told him to take care  
  
of Nibbler- and to be sure and pick up after him if he did any "business"? Did  
  
you honestly think Fry could've picked up after Nibbler? His "stuff" weighs  
  
thousands of pounds!  
  
Leela 1: I know, that was just dumb of me. I guess I got so used to Fry  
  
being around me, that I started to take him for granted. Oh, how am I going  
  
to get through this next year? I'm going to miss him every day, and, oh,  
  
that damn robot had better not sell any of his stuff! I'd better step on  
  
it, or Bender will have everything in his apartment gone by the time I get  
  
there. I'm going to keep it all at my place and that way I know it'll be  
  
safe.  
  
At the same time, a third little voice spoke up inside her. This was the side of herself that she hated, but had always seemed to come out whenever she was around Fry  
  
Leela 3: You know, why do you even bother with Fry? There's a whole bunch of more available guys out in the universe. You can do so much better for yourself Turanga!  
  
Leela 1: Ha! Like you've been a big help. I listened to you when Zapp and I  
  
had our night together, and I've regretted it ever since then- that I even  
  
felt sorry for that pompous oaf! And then, I listened to you when Adlai  
  
operated on me and gave me two eyes. Sure, a lot of guys looked at me then  
  
that would've just stared at me before, but Fry told me that I had always  
  
looked beautiful with just the one eye. He's always accepted me for the way  
  
that I am, and I'll always be grateful for that!  
  
Leela 3: But Zapp's one of the most famous people in the DOOP! You couldn't  
  
do better than if you married a king or something! So, he has a few faults,  
  
but he is a famous captain.  
  
Leela 1: Yeah, he's famous because he's been lucky, but what happens when  
  
his luck runs out, and he finally gets busted down to garbage duty? Fry at  
  
least tries his best, and I've always admired him for giving me a  
  
perspective on life that I never had before with anybody, including Sean.  
  
I'm lucky to have met someone that loves me, and I'll gladly accept that any  
  
day over somebody famous or rich.  
  
Leela 3: Ha! You think that he'll be faithful to you, stuck up there for a  
  
year. I'll bet there's lots of good looking girls who'll be trying to pick  
  
him up! You're kidding yourself if you think that he won't be all over any  
  
of them!  
  
Leela 1: (Out loud) Why don't you just be quiet!  
  
Hermes stopped humming to himself, and looked over at Leela  
  
Hermes: Oh, sorry Leela, I didn't realize that I was being so loud.  
  
Leela (Embarrassed) Oh my! I, I'm sorry Hermes, I was just sort of.talking to  
  
myself, and it got a little out of hand. I didn't mean you at all. Please,  
  
forgive me.  
  
Hermes: That's ok Leela. I know that you're already missing Fry. But  
  
don't you worry none. I have a feeling that he'll do fine back there. He's  
  
in one of the safest fleets in the universe. No one messes with GBB  
  
delivery ships, because you don't want to get on their bad side, if you know  
  
what I mean.  
  
Leela: (Smiling) Yeah. I know what you mean Hermes. I just.miss him so  
  
much. I never though that I'd feel this way about anyone. And then, when I  
  
finally do, then he and I have to be apart for so long. I just hate this  
  
feeling of.helplessness.  
  
Hermes: (Sympathetic) I understand that feeling, all too well. You know Leela, I am a little curious though. I mean, from what you said to Fry earlier, and from what you told me, about finding the robot preacher? Were you really serious? I'm asking this, because, well, you and Fry haven't even really dated or anything like that up to now. I know that he loves you passionately, but, neither of you have really had a relationship with each other. Do you think that the two of you can make it work out well enough?  
  
Leela: (Thinking hard for a moment) I know that I sounded pretty impulsive when I said that, but, at the same time, I did mean it. You know Hermes; Fry and I have been together pretty much since he woke up from the freezer. It's strange, even before this happened, I'd recently been thinking about all the time that we've been together. Did you know that every time that we'd all go out together as a crew, it was always Fry who was sitting with me? Even if it was just going out somewhere after work, I always felt lonely, if Fry wasn't there with me. It seems like I couldn't imagine being somewhere and not having him there. I think, that maybe Fry and I have been closer than most married people that I've met, oh, no offense Hermes.  
  
Hermes: (Smiling) None taken Leela. I always thought that you two seemed to fit well together. I guess the both of you have probably spent more time with each other, getting to know what's important to the other than most people do. Don't get me wrong though, I think that the two of you make a great couple, and I'll look forward to seeing the wedding, well, seeing it again! You know, Leela, I guess Fry has loved you  
  
for as long as he's known you. I don't think that you'll have to worry  
  
about him not doing his best for you. In fact, when he does get back, you two should take off for a while, just the two of you alone together. In fact, I'll mark the date on  
  
me calendar. I imagine that you two will be quite busy during your time  
  
off.  
  
Hermes winked at Leela as he said that, and Leela blushed slightly, and  
  
smiled shyly.  
  
Leela: I'll take you up on that offer Hermes, and I'll let Fry know as soon  
  
as I have some free time today. So you'd better not try and forget, because  
  
I know I won't.  
  
Leela smiled as she said that, and gave her own special kind of wink at Hermes,  
  
who smiled back at her. At that moment, an alarm went off; letting them  
  
know that they were coming into Earth space, and that it was nearly time to  
  
land. Leela laughed to herself.  
  
Leela; (Thinking) I'm going to enjoy myself when we finally get back together  
  
Fry, I just hope that I don't wear you out too quickly, ha ha ha.  
  
At that moment, that little voice that she had grown to hate spoke up again.  
  
Leela 3: (Sarcastically) Huh! I bet he'll get plenty of practice back  
  
there! I'm sure that he'll have all kinds of women wanting to help him with his deliveries  
  
Leela 1: (Thinking) SHUT UP! Just. Shut. Up!  
  
Leela 3: .  
  
The Planet Express ship entered the Earth's atmosphere and glided down  
  
towards home, and Turanga Leela felt that she had finally come full circle.  
  
Everything was going to be okay.  
  
Meanwhile, Fry was going through his check-in procedures, and feeling a little nervous about it. As he looked around, he finally started to realize just how huge this place really was.  
  
Fry: (To himself) Wow. This whole thing looks like it's just one huge depot. I wonder how far up and out everything goes.  
  
Even as he said this, he looked up and saw that there was what looked like a delivery sled floating alongside a storage area, taking on what he guessed was cargo. It didn't look much bigger than the small ones that he had used at Planet Express, but then, as it started to descend, he realized that it was bigger than he thought. A lot bigger. After it came down near the ground, he saw that the sled was at least as big as the PE ship, and that what he had thought was just a person driving it was actually a person in a powered armor suit.  
  
Fry: Holy Crap! That thing's huge! Am I going to have to drive something like that around? I'll end up wrecking it big time! Oh man, what've I got myself in for.  
  
Fry felt a nudge, and turning, saw that the guy behind him was motioning him forward. He looked and saw that it was his turn for him to sign in. He walked up to the table and looked at the man sitting there. He had a fairly short haircut and gold wire rimmed glasses, and a plain looking, dark gray uniform, with a GBB patch on the sleeve, and a name tag on his left side that read, Rosa.  
  
Rosa: (Hurriedly, but not rudely) Please answer the questions that I ask you in order to verify who you are and the reasons that you're here. First off, your name, last name first, first name last?  
  
Fry: Um.Fry Philip J.  
  
Rosa: Ok. Date of birth?  
  
Fry: March 5th.  
  
Rosa: All right. Can you show me the hand with your career chip in order to verify that the job that you're taking on here and the one in that's on your chip both match up?  
  
Fry: Ok  
  
He sticks out his hand and Rosa holds out what looks like a futuristic version of a calculator, only with a larger screen on it. He runs it up and down it Fry's hand, listens to it beep, and then looks down at the readout.  
  
Rosa: Well, everything seems to check out. All right, go on down the passageway to your right and stand in line, and you'll be signed up and given your new uniforms. You'll have to turn in all of your civilian clothing, except for personal effects, such as photos or things of that nature.  
  
Fry mumbled his thanks and turned past him to go down the corridor, when he felt somebody next to him. He turned and saw another man who looked to be about his age, with shorter dark brown hair, and a face that was a little craggy, but still young looking.  
  
Fry: (Holding out his hand) Hi. My names Philip Fry, but everyone calls me Fry.  
  
Man: (Reaching out and shaking Fry's hand) Hey. My names Chris Cross, but all of my friends call me CC.  
  
Fry: (Smiling a little, in spite of himself) Ok, um, CC. It's good to meet you. What part of Earth do you come from?  
  
CC: (Laughing himself) Oh, I'm not from Earth. I'm from Alpha Centauri 4. Born and raised there. I've always wanted to have a chance to go out into space, and when my grades weren't good enough for me to join the DOOP space fleet, then I decided to try and go into the GBB. At least this way, I can go into space, and can work on getting my space legs under me. Then, maybe I'll try to join the DOOP again I cant't wait to finally have a chance to be in a deep space ship, you know, besides just being a passenger on one.  
  
Fry: Well, I worked on a delivery ship for a while, but I thought that I'd try my hand at something a little bigger and with more responsibility too.  
  
CC: Well, we're in the right place for that. Did you see those floater lifts? I can't believe how huge that thing was.  
  
Fry: Yeah, I hope that we'll be able to start out small, before we have to drive those.  
  
CC: (Laughing again) Don't worry, you don't drive those unless you've been here for at least two years, and I'm just planning to do my year first, then I'll see how things are working out before I decide to re-up again.  
  
Fry: Yeah, I'm just going to work here for a year. I've got someone waiting for me back home.  
  
CC: Oh yeah? Well, do you have a picture of them?  
  
Fry: (Pulling out a picture of Leela that he'd had for several years now) Yeah that's her, the one with the.purple hair.  
  
CC: Hey, she's got only one eye too. If it weren't for that, she'd be a total babe.  
  
Fry: (Curtly) Yeah well, I think she's beautiful, no matter what.  
  
CC: (Apologetic) Oh man, hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that at all.  
  
Fry: That's ok, I know that she's kind of used to hearing stuff like that from other people. I guess I've just gotten so used to seeing her like that, that I don't notice it anymore. But she really is special to me, and well, I love her so much.  
  
CC: Well, if you don't mind me asking, what are you doing here, instead of spending all your free time with her?  
  
Fry: It's kind of a long story, but it boils down to me having to prove something to her, if you know what I mean.  
  
CC: (Understanding) I got you, Fry. Well, we've got a year to go, so you'll have a lot of time to talk about it, okay?  
  
Fry: (Smiling) Yeah, I guess so. Well, let's go finish checking in, and find out what they're going to do with us first.  
  
CC: (Smiling as well) I heard that!  
  
Together, the two of them walked down the hallway and stood in the line, continuing to talk with each other, both a little anxious, but excited, and grateful that they'd made a new friend.  
  
DAY 14  
  
Fry rubbed his eyes sleepily as he got up, and got ready for today's training. Even after spending the last two weeks here, he still hadn't got used to the idea of waking at six o'clock in the morning, especially when it was still only 10 p.m. at night on Earth. But, he figured that he'd be able to do it, since so many others had done the same thing before he'd arrived there.  
  
Fry: (To himself) I not gonna quit. I'm going to show Leela that I can be grown-up, and I will win her respect for me, even if it kills me. Ah, wait, that's not right, I mean.oh the heck with it now, I'm too sleepy to think about anything but sleep.  
  
Just then, a pillow came flying inbound and hit him square on the right side of his face.  
  
CC: (Tiredly) C'mon Fry, we've got to get to this course on time.  
  
Fry: (Still sleepy) Aw, come on CC, it won't hurt to be five minutes late will it?  
  
CC: Hell yeah! We're going to learn how to operate our Personal Delivery Transports today, remember?  
  
Fry: (Bolts upright) Oh yeah! Well come on, what're you waiting for, let's go, let's go, c'mon.  
  
Fry leapt up of his bottom bunk bed and got into his uniform quickly, while CC rolled his eyes for a moment, and then grinning, got up and hopped off the top bunk bed that he slept on  
  
CC: Okay Fry, let's get ready and go. I've always wanted to learn how to fly a PDT since we got here.  
  
Fry came out of the communal bathroom, toothbrush still in his mouth, and mumbled something.  
  
CC: What? What'd you say?  
  
Fry: (Taking out toothbrush) I said, yeah, so have I.  
  
CC: (Handing Fry a glass of water) Ok, ok, here, rinse and let's go. I'm hoping that pretty brunette's going to be there today. I've been meaning to ask her out, and I figured that if I did well in class today, then I'd be able to give her a good impression.  
  
They went out of the room and started towards the flight deck where the course would take place, both of them making sure that the other was dressed according to regulation. Fry and CC were turning out to be a good match with each other, they both liked a lot of the same things, and while Fry was still a little slow on occasion, he made up for it with his tenacity. On the other hand, while CC usually picked up on things pretty quickly, he could get easily frustrated if he didn't make a connection right away. Then Fry's own ability would kick in, and the two of them found that they were able to help the other along. They arrived at level 42, flight deck 12, and saw that while a few others had already arrived there, that they didn't appear to be late.  
  
Fry: (Looking around) Hey CC, isn't that the girl that you've been talking about?  
  
Two girls came walking over to him and CC. One of them, the brunette that CC liked, had a nametag that read Sawyer, while the other one was a taller Asian girl with glasses and a tag that read Chung. Fry looked down and smiled a little, Fry was on his uniform as well, while CC had Cross on his tag. After greeting each other, they all stood around for a moment, in that awkward manner people have who know of each other, but have never done more than introduce themselves to each other. Finally, the girl named Sawyer spoke up,  
  
Sawyer: (Brightly) Hey there. I'm Jessie Sawyer, though all my friends call me Jester, cause I like to cut up all the time. My friend's name is Li Sen Chung, though she likes to be called Lisa.  
  
Lisa: (Shyly) Hi, nice to meet you.  
  
Fry: Hi. My name's Fry and this is my friend CC.  
  
They all shook hands, with CC blushing a little when he shook Jester's hand, though if she noticed it, she didn't say anything.  
  
CC: So, are you here to learn on the PDT's today, too? I thought that there'd be more people than this.  
  
Lisa: (Perking up) Well, I understand that there's only a few people in classes at a time, so that the instructors are able to devote more of their time to each student, and that there'll be less chance of an accident that way as well.  
  
Fry: That makes since. So, that's the PDT, huh?  
  
He pointed to a little spacecraft that stood off to the side of the flight deck. While it seemed sort of on the smallish side, it looked fast and powerful just sitting there on the deck. Fry walked up to it and slowly looked it up and down. It was the same dark gray as his uniform, and looked like it would blend into the darkness of space with little problem. It reminded Fry of some sports cars that he'd seen in the twentieth century, though he'd never had the money to be able to buy one. Well, now he had the chance to drive something faster in reality than anybody from his time would have thought possible.  
  
Just then, another person came into the room, a woman who only looked a little older than himself, though she still would have looked very lovely if she'd been somewhere in civilian clothes. Fry looked closer and saw that her name was Chandler.  
  
Chandler: (Speaking with a gruff voice) Hello, my name is Lieutenant Kei Chandler, and I'm going to be your flight instructor on your Personal Delivery Transport, or PDT. Now, I've been flying these things for nine years now, and they're one of the easiest things to fly in the whole of the galactic order. They have radar detector and avoidance systems, and with their semi smart brains, can only be flown into something if you wrestle the controls away from them and deliberately fly them into something. Okay, let's get suited up, and get ready for launch.  
  
Everyone looked surprised and Jester raised her hand.  
  
Jester: Excuse me ma'am, do you mean we're going to fly one, today?  
  
Chandler: That's right. One thing I've found over the years is that the best way to do something is to just jump right in and learn it. These are easy to fly, and there are radar controlled guidance beams that will keep you away from each other and the flight decks. Just relax, and have fun with it. Nothings going to happen to any of you. I haven't lost a student in the nine years I've been teaching this, and I'm not about to start today, so, let's go.  
  
She clapped her hands once as she said this, and then looking at each of their nervous faces, gave them a wink. This seemed to relax everybody and they all started to get in to their flight gear. Fry thought that it seemed sort of like the flight gear that he saw pilots wear when he watched old movies about the Air Force on TV when he was young. He was surprised to see that even though it was very tight, it felt comfortable and snug, though he saw that it still showed a little more of his gut than he would have wanted to show off. He then turned and saw the girls in their suits and immediately turned away for a moment. Both of them fit well into their suits, very well, and he didn't want to end up staring at the two of them. Just then he heard what he thought was Lisa's voice.  
  
Lisa: Nice butt, Fry.  
  
Fry quickly turned his head and saw Lisa with her hands over her mouth, so she would stop giggling, while Jester had a big smile on her face. After a moment Fry realized what they were doing, and relaxed himself. They were his coworkers and hopefully would become his friends too, and there was no need for him to act all embarrassed in front of them. After all, they would likely be together for a while. He looked over at CC and saw that he was in a lot better shape than he was, and thought about how he needed to get into better shape, which would also surprise Leela too.  
  
Chandler: All right, enough horseplay, let's get ready to go. Hop into the available crafts, and get ready to launch  
  
Fry and the others all got into a PDT and strapped themselves in.  
  
Fry: Wow! This feels comfortable and secure. I can't wait for this to be in space. It feels like it can fly itself.  
  
He then thought back to what Chandler had said and realized, it probably could if it wanted to.  
  
Suddenly he looked over and saw Chandler with a headset on, pointing to it, and hurriedly picked up the one from his side and put it on.  
  
Chandler: (Through the headset) All right everyone, let's get ready to launch. Follow the instructions on the front panel, which is a simple five- step procedure to get into space. Now, let's go.  
  
Fry felt the familiar feeling of the ship lifting up, and found himself staring up at a sky full of stars. Then, the next thing he felt was a sudden rush of speed and then it was as though he was floating in a dark ocean, with occasional groups of lights hung together, and others spread out in between them. He looked over and saw the others ship's off to the side and some distance apart.  
  
Chandler: (Over the headset) Okay everyone, let's go, We'll try some simple maneuvers at first, and then work on some more complicated ones as the day goes on. Now, let's go.  
  
With that said, Fry turned the ship a little from side to side, marveling as it responded almost immediately to his touch. When he heard Chandler's voice over the headset, telling him to go in certain directions, then he did as she asked, and was thrilled to see that he was flying the ship, and that there was nothing to it.  
  
Fry: (Grinning) This is great! I want to do more!  
  
Chandler: (Over headset) That's great Fry, and don't worry, you look like you're a natural on this. Just remember, even though there's a big difference between these small one-man craft, and the bigger ships, if you remember to just keep you head, then you'll do fine. Now, let's practice some harder maneuvers, and then we'll call it a day.  
  
Fry was puzzled over this, until he looked at his wrist computer and saw that it was nearly 1 p.m. Man, had he been out in space all this time and didn't even realize that he'd been gone this long?  
  
Fry: Oh man! I can't wait to write Leela and let her know what I've been doing; she's going to be so proud of me. I can't believe I'm doing it, and I'm proud of me. Yee-ha! I'm going to have a pilot's license and everything!  
  
They all continued for another three hours, and when it was time, Chandler recalled them back to the base, making sure that she talked each of them in and that they had no problems with landing. Once they were all back on the flight deck, then Chandler debriefed them all.  
  
Chandler: (Pacing back and forth in front of the small group) Well, all of you did very well out there today, and I've been looking over all of your reports and records up till now, so all of you go on and get some rest for today. Be back here tomorrow at seven, and we'll practice some more, and if you do well enough, you should have your licenses by the end of the week. Dismissed. Oh, and Fry, will you stay behind a moment?  
  
Fry stopped and turned back to the others and mouthed, see you later. They nodded and walked on, excitedly talking among themselves.  
  
Chandler: Fry, I've been going through your medical records, in particular you r brain scans, and have noticed that you have some minor damage to parts of your brain, it's nothing really serious, but, we do have equipment here, that can repair it, without any difficulty at all. Now, I'm no doctor, but from what I've read here, it'll help your memory and coordination, and will make you an even better pilot than now. I say that because you seem like you're a natural at this, and I think that you could eventually pilot one of the big boys someday, if you decided to stay in the GBB.  
  
Fry thought hard for a minute.  
  
Fry: Would I still be the same person that I am now, I mean aside from my memory, would it change my personality, or anything like that.  
  
Chandler: Good Lord, no! As I said, it'll just help your memory and coordination, and you'll be a better pilot because of it. You don't have to make the choice right away, though I think you'll do better because of it.  
  
Fry: Okay, I'd like to think on it please.  
  
Chandler: Very good Fry. I'll see you in the morning.  
  
Fry: Okay, thank you ma'am.  
  
Fry went out the door and walked around the passageways for a bit, thinking hard. Then he realized, he needed to talk to Leela, and get her advice.  
  
He walked up to a videophone, and dialed up the number for Leela's wrist computer. He listened to the beeps, and was relieved when he heard Leela speak into the microphone.  
  
Leela: Hello?  
  
Fry: (Excitedly) Hey Leela, it's me, Fry.  
  
Leela: Fry? Is that you? Are you all right?  
  
Fry: (Soothingly) Its okay Leela, I just wanted to talk to you. I.I missed hearing your voice, and I needed some advice.  
  
Leela: Okay Fry, just tell me how I can help, and you know I'll do what I can for you. Oh, wait a minute while I hook into a video-unit so I can see you.all right, here we go.  
  
With that said, Leela's image appeared on the video screen, and she smiled when she saw Fry. Fry smiled back at her and put his hand on the screen for a moment, just so he could imagine that he was able to touch her face for just a moment, and Leela, realizing what he was doing reached her own hand up to the monitor as well.  
  
Fry: Leela, they told me something about me here, and about how they can help me, but before I make a decision, I need to tell you about something. Do you remember when I had the worms?  
  
Fry started to talk to Leela about everything that he remembered when he'd had the worms, and how he'd been so happy when he and Leela shared their first real romantic kiss. Leela smiled and then frowned as she heard this, still remembering her words to him after they had embraced  
  
Flashback  
  
Leela: Oh Fry, I love what you've become.  
  
Flashback ends.  
  
Leela almost smacked her forehead, she couldn't believe that she'd said that, especially after all she and Fry had been through, She then realized that Fry was still speaking.  
  
Fry: .So I used the new knowledge that I had to help make the little version of me and went into my body. I traveled to my brain and challenged the worms emperor to a fight, in order to get them to leave my body. Well, during the fight, I kind of damaged a few parts of my brain as well, and threatened to sever my medulla oblongata, if they didn't leave.  
  
Leela looked at Fry in shock, and put her hand up to her mouth. If he'd cut that, he would have died.  
  
Leela: (Haltingly) Fry, do you mean to say that, that you'd have killed yourself, because you wanted to see if I was in love with the before you?  
  
Fry: Well, I thought that that'd be the only way for them to leave, and I had to know, you know?  
  
Leela: Fry. I'm so sorry. I wish I could take back so many of the mean things I've said to you over the years.  
  
Fry: Leela, it's okay. I know what you mean, and I'm sorry that I did so many stupid things over the years too, but, you know, that's all the past now. I guess the real reason I'm calling, is that my trainer told me that they could fix the damage I did to my brain, you know, so I could have a little better memory and coordination. They said that it wouldn't effect my personality, but I wanted to ask you, if you think maybe I should do it?  
  
Leela bit her lower lip for moment, before she looked Fry in his eye and asked him a question  
  
Leela: (Slowly) Fry, if you do this, would you be doing it because it's what you want to do for yourself, or because you think it's what I want you to do?  
  
Fry stood there for a moment, before replying.  
  
Fry: Leela, I never really thought of it like that, I guess that I want to do what ever makes you happy. I hope that you and I can be able to have conversations about anything, and that my attention span would last a little longer, you know, stuff like that.  
  
Leela: (Smiling softly) Fry, whatever else happens, I'll love you. If you would want to do something like that, then I want you to do it because you want it for yourself, not for me, or for anyone else. I think you're great the way you are, so I just want you to be happy, okay?  
  
Fry: Okay Leela, I understand, and thanks. You always know how to help me when I've got a problem.  
  
Leela: (Softly) That's all right Fry. You've helped me more than I know how to tell you. Now listen, how about we get together on the Internet in a few months, and we'll spend a little more time together.  
  
Fry: That sounds great Leela. We'll make a date, and I'll do my best to keep it, ok? I'd better go now, but I just want to say, I love you.  
  
Leela: I love you too, Fry. See you soon.  
  
With that, Leela signed off, so Fry wouldn't have to see the tears starting to form in her eye.  
  
Leela: (To herself) Oh, I hope that he'll be all right while he's there. I can't believe that he'd do something so insane, and brave, and loving all at the same time. Damn it, you'd better take care of yourself Fry, because if you get hurt while you're there, then that'll be nothing compared to what I do to you when you get home  
  
Leela then turned and went purposefully back to Planet Express. She had some frustration and emotion to work out, and the punching bag was waiting for her.  
  
Meanwhile, Fry had turned off his unit, and stood thinking for a moment. Then he dialed up the office number of Kei Chandler. A moment later, her face appeared on the screen.  
  
Chandler: Fry, is that you?  
  
Fry: Yes ma'am, I just wanted to let you know, that I've made my decision.  
  
To be continued  
  
Well, this is the first chapter in the follow-up to my first fanfic. I want to give a big shoutout to Hil, for all the help that she's given me during the course of writing this. I also want to say that any suggestions on ways to improve my writing skill would be greatly appreciated. Any suggestions that you have should be made up and sent to my e-mail address, wbc31@hotmail.com, and I'd appreciate any feedback. Thanks for letting me post this, and I hope to have the second chapter up later on, where things start to get a little complicated for our couple.  
  
Always remember, while there's life, there's hope. 


	2. Remembering times past

All the Characters in this fan-fiction (Fry, Leela, Hermes, Bender, and all the rest) are all Copyright to FOX and The Curiosity Company. I am making no money off of this and am doing it for my own and other people's enjoyment. If you wish to use this fiction, I ask that you use the whole thing, not just part of it.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Day 27  
  
Fry leaned against the outer porthole, staring at the stars outside. He'd always been glad that he was still able to appreciate the view, something it seemed that most people in this time took for granted.  
  
Fry: (Thinking to himself) Man, I guess I'm pretty lucky. Here I am living in the future, doing things like working in space and all kinds of crazy stuff that people could only imagine back in the 20th century. I've met a beautiful woman, who cares about me as more than just a "friend" now, and I've got a robot for a best friend, and now, I'm getting ready to travel around the universe, um, some more.  
  
Fry leaned back and relaxed, and started to think about how he'd gotten to where he was now. Now that the next part of his journey was getting ready to start, his thoughts drifted back to some 5 hours ago and his graduation ceremony from the GBB.  
  
(Flashback)  
  
Fry and his classmates are all standing at attention in a large room, several times larger than the Planet Express building. Everyone is getting a little tired and starting to feel bored, when a voice sounds out over the public address system.  
  
P.A.: Attention! All hands come to attention for Vice Chairman of the G.B.B., Mr. Robert Southerlyn! All personnel, Attention!  
  
Fry and everyone else immediately raised their hands in the salute that they'd been taught during the course of their training.  
  
Vice Chairman Southerlyn returned the salute, and then motioned to everyone to take his or her seats. After everyone had sat down, he began to speak, in a deep, but soft and pleasant voice.  
  
Southerlyn: Good morning everyone. I'm very pleased to see all of your faces here. I must say that I'm also glad that this graduating class had a 96% success rate and that so many of you were able to complete your training. I've been with this part of the DOOP for 17 years now, and it always makes me happy to see new members arriving here. I know that some of you are only here to put in your year, some because of the court orders, and some of you are here because you feel that a year is all you have to offer.  
  
However, there are some of you who may feel that you could do this for a while longer, maybe even make a career of it. For those of you who do, I wish to make it known that I hope that you do stay on for a while, and enjoy the opportunity of a lifetime.  
  
In conclusion, and this is for everyone here, even if you decide to leave at the end of your first tour, let me say, that you will always be a member of the GBB, and we will always be there for you. You're now part of an extended family, one that is over 300 million members strong, and growing. Always remember that we never, ever, leave anybody behind. Thank you, and good luck.  
  
P.A.: All personnel, attention. Vice Chairman Southerlyn has left the building!  
  
Fry stood for a moment, his face working. It was hard to keep from laughing; it'd been years since he'd heard anything like that, and it was almost too much. But he remembered what Leela would've said to him if she'd been there, and fought it back  
  
Fry: (Imagining Leela beside him) Fry! You've got to take your job more seriously, and do the best that you can do. And stop slouching! And suck in that gut a little!  
  
Fry shook his head a little and smiled to himself. He wondered how Leela would do in a job like this. Who was he kidding, with her drive, she'd be an officer in less than a month and probably president in a few years.  
  
(Flashback ends)  
  
Fry leaned forward in his chair, and looked down; he only had a small bag of personal possessions, since everything else that he would need would be waiting for him on the ship. He turned around and saw everyone else looking out the windows and portholes and turned himself to see what the fuss was about.  
  
There, still a long ways off, but visible because of its huge size, floated his new home for the next three months. The ship was massive, and yet, it still looked like it was moving swiftly, even though it was moored at its docking ports. Its outer hull was a silvery color, reflecting all of the light around it. It was roughly shaped like a diamond, lying on its side, and stretched out to a great length. It was smooth on its upper half, except for a length of wires or cable that curved back and forth along the hull. Near the back of the ship, there was a projection that looked like a quarter moon cut in half, pointing forward. As they flew closer, he could see that was a section on the bottom side that looked like a series of stairs that went up and then back down. He looked closer and saw that what had looked like little dust motes floating around it were actually ships that were flying in and out. It was the entrance to the cargo bays.  
  
Fry: Good God! That thing's huge; I never knew there were ships this big. It looks like it could have the Nimbus for lunch, and the PE ship for a snack.  
  
About that time Lt. Chandler came up through the passageway, and stopped when she saw the ship.  
  
Lt. Chandler: Well, that's going to be our home for a while, folks, what do you think of it?  
  
Jester: (Speaking up) Well ma'am, I have to say that it's. big, anyway.  
  
Chandler: Well, it has to be, for all of the cargo that we're carrying. You see, this is a ship that supplies a lot of the outer DOOP colonies, and exploration ships. We have to have enough materials to not only keep our 11,000+ crew members going, but also enough to supply planetary colonies for months at a time.  
  
Lisa: (Speaking up) Excuse me ma'am. What's the name of our ship?  
  
Chandler: Her full name is the Heavy Spatial Delivery Ship (HSDS): Shenandoah.  
  
Fry: (Startled for a moment) Excuse me ma'am, what did you say the ship's name was?  
  
Lt. Chandler: (Going through an electronic notebook) Shenandoah. Her name is from the language of the ancient Native Americans on Earth. I think it means.uh  
  
Lt. Chandler and Fry: (Together, Fry speaking softly) Daughter of the Stars.  
  
Chandler stopped thumbing through her electronic notebook and looked over at Fry, then back down at her notebook.  
  
Chandler: That's right, Fry. How'd you know that?  
  
Fry: (Smiling softly) My Granddad used to tell me stories about the first airships they had in the old American Navy. There were several of them, and the Shenandoah was the first one. It flew for a couple of years, until it was destroyed. I just always thought that it was a really pretty name for a ship.  
  
Chandler and the others looked at him for a moment, then turned away to look out the windows again.  
  
CC: Well, I guess she is a beautiful ship, and I hope that we'll be able to take a tour of it, ma'am.  
  
Chandler: (Laughing softly) Oh, you'll get to see all of the ship that you can, and probably more than you'll want to. Remember, you're still rookies, so you'll probably have to do a lot of the dirty work for a while.  
  
Everyone smiled or laughed a little nervously at this, until Lt. Chandler looked back at them and winked.  
  
Chandler: I'm only joshing you; you'll all be too busy with deliveries to do much else. There're plenty of automated systems, robots, and personnel that are designated to take care of that work. Just remember to keep a clear head, and you'll do okay.  
  
Lt. Chandler paused for a moment, as if gathering her thoughts, and then spoke again.  
  
Chandler: Now, the four of you will be sharing the same room, and I just want you to know, that while the company doesn't exactly approve of relationships forming, they do understand that it can happen on these long voyages. That's why they do ask that all personnel take the appropriate precautions, and that you be smart, and not foolish. This is not the best place in the universe to raise a child. Now, there'll be more instructions and lectures on stuff like this after we get underway, but for now, we want you to relax, so you can use the Internet, watch any videos or TV, play some sports, or anything else you do to relax. So, everyone, sit back and enjoy the free time you have, because it'll be a precious commodity in the months to come.  
  
Fry: (Thinking) Man, for somebody like me, who's pretty much a nobody, I sure do have a lot of strange coincidences happen to me. Pa-paw Graham, I wish you'd been here to see.  
  
With that thought, Fry leaned back in his seat and let his mind drift back in time.  
  
(Flashback)  
  
A young version of Fry, only six years old, is sitting on a small chair in what appears to be an old house. There is evidence that there were once two people living there, and that the house used to be a much cheerier place. But now, it looks less inviting, and the small child sitting on his chair seems to bring some much-needed life to a room that is usually full of darker thought these days.  
  
Fry looked up at the old man that sat in a worn, but still comfortable rocking chair, holding the lit cigar in his left hand, and listening with rapt attention to his Grandfather's voice, weaker with age, but still deep and vibrant.  
  
Grandfather Graham: (Softly) Yep, your great-uncle would have been 85 years old today. I still remember when he joined the Navy, and how he hoped so much that he'd be on a famous ship. You probably could have knocked him over with a feather when he was selected to be a member of the Shenandoah's crew. The first American airship, and she was a wondrous thing to see.  
  
Fry: (Curiously) What's She-nan-do-ah mean Pa-paw?  
  
Grandfather Graham: It's an old Indian name, Phil. It means, the Daughter of the Stars, and I always thought it was a beautiful name.  
  
Young Fry: What'd it look like Pa-paw?  
  
Grandfather Fry: Well, it was sort of shaped like this here cigar, but it was a silvery color, and had these short stubby wings on the rear, and near the front, on the bottom side, was the control cabin, or bridge. That was where the captain gave the order to fly the ship. Your great-uncle loved to be on board; it almost seemed like it was his own baby, the way he went on about it. When we lived here in New York, there was a landing field over in New Jersey, and the airship passenger flights would come flying over New York, as they were landing, usually to give a sightseeing tour. They looked like great silver clouds as they floated overhead. He was always so excited about flying, and I remember asking him, why did he love it so much? You know, it wasn't like he was a fighter pilot or something like that. I still remember what he told me, like it was yesterday.  
  
Young Fry: (Looking at him expectedly) What Pa-paw? What'd he say?  
  
Grandfather Fry: (A faraway look in his eyes) He said that the way he felt when he was on board was wonderful. Sometime, when he had to go up on the top of the ship and stand watch, it was so quiet and calm. He said that the engine noise sort of faded into a hum that was so peaceful, that it was almost like he was riding on a dream.  
  
Grandfather Fry stopped for a moment, and Fry noticed that his eyes were moist. Then the old man straightened up and the moment passed.  
  
Grandfather Fry: (Wistfully) Then, there was the day that they left for that public relations tour around the middle of the country. The ship got caught in a bad storm and crashed. Your great-uncle was one of the survivors, but he was never the same after that. He always carried around with him what he had seen near the end, when the ships control cabin was ripped away from the hull. After that he never wanted to go on an airship again.  
  
Anyway, he finished up his tour of duty, and then the Depression hit. But, your great-uncle was pretty creative, and managed to stay afloat during the lean years, and was doing pretty good with his own delivery business in the 1940's and 50's.  
  
Young Fry: What happened to Unca Graham?  
  
Grandfather Graham: (Softly) He was doing all right for himself, and even though he'd never married, he loved coming by and playing with Chandra and David. It was in March of 1965, he had come into work early that morning, and he simply had a heart attack. No one knew, or saw it coming, it just seemed like, it was his time. He'd passed away by the time the ambulance had got there. I wish that you'd had a chance to meet him, Phil, you seem like two of a kind. I bet you'll go on to great things one day, and I hope I'll be around to see it.  
  
Fry's grandfather reached down and rumpled his hair.  
  
Just then, the screen door at the front of the house opens and bangs shut, and a woman's voice is heard.  
  
Voice: Philip, Dad, are you two around? I really need some help getting these groceries in!  
  
Young Fry: (Excitedly) Mom's here. Mom's here Pa-paw.  
  
Fry got up and started to run to the kitchen door, when Chandra Graham Fry walked into the living room. She leaned over and gave Fry a kiss on the cheek, and then turned around and gave her father one as well  
  
Chandra: Hi Philip! Were you a good boy for your grandfather today?  
  
Young Fry: (Happy) Yeah mom, he told me stories about the old days, when he was young.  
  
Chandra: (Smiling) Thanks for helping out dad, Yancy's so busy these days and Jr. is a lot to handle as well.  
  
Grandfather Graham: It's all right honey, I know that you're busy, but I like Phil being around, he keeps the house from being too lonely and cold. It's nice to have someone that'll listen to me go on about the old days.  
  
Chandra: (Softly) I'm sorry dad, I want us to spend more time with you, are you sure you want to live in this house alone? I mean, it's been 3 years since Mom passed on, and you.  
  
Grandfather Fry: (Sharply) I won't go to some old folk's home, and that's that. I can take care of myself, and as long as you let little Philip come around, why, I don't feel that lonely anyway.  
  
Chandra: (Smiling softly) Okay dad, don't worry about that. We won't talk about it anymore. I'm glad you and Philip get along so well, and we'll be by next week. Come on Phil, we've got to go help your daddy with the new shelter.  
  
Young Fry: Okay mom! Bye Pa-paw, I'll see you later on.  
  
Fry the reached out and hugged the old man, not noticing that more moisture was building in his wrinkled eyes. Grandfather Graham hugged him back, and when Fry looked up at him, the moisture was already gone, and what remained was a warm smile.  
  
Grandfather Graham: All right Phil, you be a good boy, and I'll see you next week, and maybe, we'll go to the movie theater, I hear they've got King Kong playing next weekend, and just maybe, it'll be a double feature.  
  
Young Fry: Yeah! I can't wait. I'll see you then Pa-paw. C'mon mom, let's go help daddy.  
  
Fry ran down and got into the car, fastening the seat belt like he'd been taught, and looked up to see his mom giving her dad another hug. She then walked down the driveway and started the car. As they drove off, Fry waved to his grandfather, who returned the wave, and then slowly walked back into the empty, quiet house.  
  
(Flashback ends)  
  
Fry sighed softly, and found that he was blinking back some tears in his own eyes. It'd only been another year before his grandfather passed away, and it was only when he was older that he'd found out that the old man had had cancer, but nobody had really known how to explain it to him when he was younger.  
  
Fry: (Thinking sadly) I wish you'd have been around for a little while longer granddad, I sure could have used whatever advice you could have given me. You always understood me, even when mom and dad were busy, or tired, or fighting. You always made me feel like I was welcome at your house. Maybe I wouldn't have been such a loser for so many years. Well, I'm getting ready to go on a great adventure, I hope, so I'll try to do him, and you, proud.  
  
With that thought going around his head, Fry settled down and dozed, waiting for the ship to dock. Then he'd see where the Daughter of the Stars would take him, and then he'd pray that she'd get him back in one piece. He had too much to live for now, and he wasn't going to give it up without a fight.  
  
Leela stood looking nervously in the mirror. It wasn't every night that she got to eat out, especially when she was going to go and have supper at her parents' house.  
  
Leela: (Thinking) God, I can't believe it, all these years, I thought I was an orphaned alien and my family was from another galaxy, and it turns out they were really here all the time, literally underneath my feet. I know they've said they're proud of me, but, with all of the mistakes I've made in life, how do I know if that's how they really feel?  
  
Leela paused, looked in the mirror again, then squared her shoulders.  
  
Leela: Well, it's time to find out some more answers, and try to start sharing my life with my family. I've got 29 years of catching up to do, and I might as well begin now.  
  
With that, she turned and whistled.  
  
Leela: Here, Nibbler! Here boy, come see what I've got for you.  
  
Nibbler scampered into the living room, with an expectant face. These days, he seemed a little lethargic, almost depressed. Of course, Leela still didn't know that Nibbler was in actuality, Lord Nibbler, of the Nibblonians, and the reason for his depression was that he'd not had a chance to stop Fry before he'd left Earth. Nibbler had mentally kicked himself when that'd happened; if he'd just given the Other the right mental nudge, then the Fry Brain would still be here on Earth, where it could be looked after safely. Now, it was out in space, on a planet where there were no Nibblonian agents.  
  
Nibbler: (Thinking) We must all hope that the eternal energy of the cosmos keeps Fry safe, and that fate will once again play a role in his and the universe's own desti. oohhh, is that a ham?  
  
Leela saw Nibbler jumping up and down, and smiled. He was a wonderful companion, and since she didn't have any children (well, not yet anyway), he was the best substitute that she could have, for the time being. She sighed to herself: children, her as a mother and Fry, being a father? The mental image made her smile one moment, and feel sad the next. The last video letter she'd got from Fry had been all too short, though he had mentioned that he'd received his license to be a delivery pilot. The thought made her shake her head some more.  
  
Leela: (Thinking) Fry, a pilot? Well, I guess stranger things have happened, and he has piloted the ship a few times, but can he really be mature enough to do something like that?  
  
Leela stopped for a moment, stunned, as she replayed what she'd just thought.  
  
Leela: (Thinking) I can't believe I thought that. At least Fry was mature enough to admit his love for me, while I was the one that couldn't accept what was under my nose all the time. I hope he's gonna get in touch with me soon, I want to see him one more time before he has to leave for his first trip.  
  
Just then, she felt something against her leg and looked down to see Nibbler rubbing against her.  
  
Leela: Oh, Nibbler, I'm sorry sweety, here you go, now, there's a full tub of water in the kitchen for you to drink. You be a good boy now, and no more terrorizing the neighbors, okay? Mommy will be back later on tonight, and then we'll go for a walk down to the park together. So don't you do anything until I get back, you little scamp. I love you.  
  
With that said, she gave him the ham, and turned away from the chomping, gulping sounds. When she was sure he was done, she turned back to him and picked him up off the floor, giving him a hug and a short kiss on top of his head. She went out the door, locking it behind her, and turning, walked down the hall to the main doors.  
  
Leela: (Smiling to herself) Sometimes I have to wonder, where does he put it all?  
  
With that thought in mind, she strolled outside. She started to walk downtown to the Planet Express building with feelings of both dread and joy. This was it, time to make that next step, and start the long journey towards becoming a full-fledged member of her family.  
  
As she reached the Planet Express building, she saw Amy come out the door, apparently on her way home.  
  
Amy: (Cheerfully) Hi Leela, are you going to do anything this weekend? If you aren't busy, I thought we could go out to some clubs together, and just have a girl's night out.  
  
Leela: Well, maybe, but I'm going to meet my parents for dinner tonight, and then I'm going to try and contact Fry. He's supposed to finish his first training program now, and he'll be going on his first new delivery assignment sometime soon after that.  
  
Amy: Aigu! I forgot about that. Okay Leela, well, you give me a call sometime this weekend, and let me know what's up.  
  
Leela: Okay Amy. I might just do that.  
  
Amy: (Awkwardly) Aw, Leela, it'll be okay. I think it's so sweet that you and Fry have finally gotten together, well, sorta, and I know you two will work out, you just gotta have faith, ya know?  
  
Leela: I know, Amy, and I know I don't say it as much as I should, but thanks. You're really a good friend, and I'm glad you're here to help me. It does get lonely sometimes now, and I find myself wishing, if only.  
  
Amy: (Putting her hand up) Stop right there, Leela. I've gotta say, there was a reason it happened this way, and I think that it'll work out all right, you just have to have faith that things like this happen for a reason. You and Fry are the best couple I've ever seen, even when you two were just friends, and if there's anybody who can get through this, it's you two. So cheer up, and look on the bright side a little more often, okay?  
  
Leela: (Smiling a little) Thanks, Amy. I'll try to keep that in mind. See you later. I've got some things to take care of.  
  
With that, Leela waved goodbye, and continued towards the Planet Express building. She pushed open the door and walked in, pausing just long enough to see that the doors to Hermes' office and Farnsworth's lab were shut. She walked over to the broom closet and stepped inside, closing and locking the door behind her. She stopped and smiled for a moment, as she remembered the time skips, and how Fry had built his crude, but sweet, make- out lounge in here. Leela brought herself back to the present day, and groping in the dim light, reached up and. there it was. The secret button she'd installed was still there. She pushed it and saw the back of the closet open up, and the stairs that had been built by her parents and some of the friends she'd made among the mutants, were still there. Stepping onto them, she pushed the button on the other side, and watched to make sure that the door was secure, before grabbing the light that she had placed there a few months ago.  
  
Leela: (Thinking) When Fry and I are finally able to spend more of our lives together, I'm probably going to have to tell him about this. It's not right for me to have secrets from him, but I just hope that he'll be able to keep his mouth shut about it.  
  
She started down the stairs, the light beam shining in front of her, taking care not to make a misstep. At the bottom, she pulled out a sheet of paper with a crude map on it, and set off in the direction of her parents' home. It was only a short time later when she saw a few lights and shapes ahead of her, which quickly became the forms of houses and apartments. Walking down the quiet streets, she looked around, and saw what had started to become a familiar shape to her over the last year, her parents' home. Leela went up to the door and knocked hard, listening for and then hearing the scrape and rustle of a lock being turned, and the door opening a crack.  
  
Munda: (Squinting for a moment) Morris, our little girl's come by! Come in dear, we hope you didn't have any trouble getting here. Come on in, suppers almost ready; Morris was just setting the table.  
  
Leela: (Giving her mother and father a warm hug) Hi mom, dad. Thanks for inviting me down tonight. I'm glad to just get out of the apartment for a while.  
  
Morris: Sit down on the sofa, and tell me about everything that's happened to you in the last few months, Leela. Have you been staying busy being a star-ship captain? Are you having as much fun as it seems when we catch the news down here?  
  
When Morris said this, Munda caught his eye, and for just a moment, something passed between them, but Leela didn't notice. She sat down, and told her father about everything she'd done in the last few weeks, and how the deliveries had become fairly routine. As she spoke, she became less enthusiastic, eventually speaking in a monotone. Munda called out to them.  
  
Munda: The foods ready everyone, come and sit down.  
  
Morris (Getting up, and offering Leela his hand) Come on honey, your mom isn't known as one of the best cooks around for nothing, just don't ask what the ingredients are, and you'll enjoy it a lot more.  
  
Leela looked a little stricken by this, until she glanced at her dad again and saw him doing the same kind of wink that she'd learned over the years. She laughed, her dark mood broken for the moment. The three of them sat down at the table, and enjoyed each other's presence as a family.  
  
When they had finished supper Leela helped her father with the dishes, while Munda made some coffee. They all went into the living room, with Morris and Munda settled on a couch, while Leela sat on a chair, all three silent for a few minutes.  
  
Munda: (Putting her cup down on an end table) Leela, is everything all right? You seem like things aren't as well off as you'd like to make us think that they are.  
  
Leela: (Looking down at her cup for a moment) Mom, I'm sorry, I just wish that. well, there's someone missing that I wish was here with us tonight.  
  
Morris: You mean your friend Fry, don't you? How's he doing in his new job?  
  
Leela: (Smiling for a moment) Oh, the last letter I got from him said that he's doing just fine; he's gotten a pilot's license, and he's really doing well, and.  
  
Munda: (Placing a tentacle on Leela's shoulder) What, sweetheart? We know that we've not been able to be there for you like we wanted, but we're here now. Tell us, we want to help.  
  
Leela: (Her eye becoming a little teary) I know that it's really selfish of me, but what happens if Fry comes back, and he doesn't really want me anymore? I've always felt that I was the one that was there to help him out when he got in trouble, which, well, was a lot of the time. That was part of the reason I lost him in the first place; because my pride kept me from just acknowledging my feelings. That, and some of the anger that I felt at you two for abandoning me. It wasn't until Fry woke up and walked into my life, that I started to feel a little more than just those negative feelings. I actually started to have. fun. But now he's gone. We still write to one another, but I'm guess I'm afraid that he's going to grow apart from me. I know he's good at making friends, and maybe, I don't know, he'll start to forget about me  
  
Morris: (Softly) Leela, Fry is trying to make you proud of him, isn't he? Do you feel proud?  
  
Leela: (Voice breaking) Yes! He's gone and done more than I ever gave him credit for, and he's actually trying to become more than just a delivery boy. He's becoming mature, and grown-up, which I thought was what I wanted. Now, though, I find myself missing the screw-ups that he used to do so much. When he comes back, maybe he'll be more responsible, and I'm not so sure if what I wanted, is what I really needed  
  
Munda: You're a wonderful person, and a great friend. But sometimes, I wish you'd be a little more positive about yourself and about people in general. Yes, you had a rough time as a child, but we knew that it would make you strong. Damn it, you have someone that loves you, and was able to put up with all of your anger and negativism. Don't you look at me like that young lady, you are negative sometimes, but that'll never stop us from loving you, and it'll never stop Fry, if he's really serious about it. And do you know what? When I see you two together, it makes me think of Morris and me, back when we were younger. You know, I didn't really fall head over heels for him at first.  
  
Morris: That's right honey; I tried to convince your mother I was serious about her for a couple of years. She even went to the school prom with someone else.  
  
Munda gets up and walks out for a moment. They can hear her rummaging through something in another room, and then she walks back in and sits down next to Morris.  
  
Munda: Here, take a look at this.  
  
Leela takes it in her hand. It's a prom picture of Munda, with a man she'd never seen before. He looks very normal from the waist up, in fact, he has a very handsome face, with blond hair and thin rimmed glasses. However, from the waist down, instead of legs, he stands on a cluster of six smooth tentacles. Munda looks very similar to Leela, except that her hair is shorter and curly, and her bangs are cut straight across. They're smiling and appear to be having a good time.  
  
Leela: Gee mom, I don't remember seeing this guy, does he still live around here?  
  
Munda: (Shaking her head) No, his name was Leonard, and he died several years before you were born, sweetie.  
  
Leela: What happened to him?  
  
Morris: There was an incident down here, where these strange robots tried to take over the underground. They would have, too, if not for another strange man. He helped us stop them, and taught us to always be on our guard against other enemies.  
  
Leela: What do you mean, 'strange man'? Who was he? Was he a mutant too?  
  
Munda: No, Leela. He was an alien from another planet, though he looked like a normal human. He was fairly tall, with blond, curly hair, and his clothes were so, strange.  
  
Morris: (Laughing softly) He wore clothes that were a patchwork of different fabrics and colors. His long coat was. hah, made of about twenty different patches itself.  
  
Munda: Yet, he seemed very confident, and I have to admit, um, I felt more than a little attracted to him. He didn't feel the same, of course, but I always had the feeling that it wasn't because I was a mutant, but just that he was so alien, he couldn't really feel that way about anyone.  
  
Morris: Well, that traveling companion of his was certainly very nice looking, and yet, he was completely professional around her, though he acted concerned when she was in danger. However, he seemed to be that way about anyone who was in danger.  
  
Leela: Well, what happened to him?  
  
Munda: Oh, he left as quickly as he arrived, after we beat those robots. He said he might well come around again someday, though we might not recognize him, and he might not recognize us, whatever that meant. I don't think we've ever seen him again  
  
Leela: That sounds interesting, but what happened to Leonard?  
  
Munda: Well, during the "incident", I found out that the brave and romantic front that Leonard always put up was just that, a front. He left me behind when we were in trouble, and Morris came back for me. I think he saved my life.  
  
Morris: (Blushing slightly) I didn't really do anything honey, I just helped out.  
  
Munda: (Leaning over and giving Morris a kiss on the cheek) It meant everything to me, love. After that, I started to recognize qualities in Morris that I hadn't noticed before, and it was only another year or so before he asked me to marry him. We've been together ever since.  
  
Leela: Aw, that's so romantic. I wish that Fry and I had moments like that.  
  
Morris: But haven't you? What about that time with those candy hearts? And the bees. And didn't he write an opera for you? I wish I'd been able to do something like that for your mom.  
  
Leela: (Looking down at her hands) I know, and I wish I'd recognized it sooner; I just didn't let myself. But when he gets back, if he gets back.  
  
Munda: Leela! Don't ever let yourself think like that! Don't ever give up your hope. I'll always remember what the alien told us before he left. He said 'If you ever feel down or discouraged, just remember: while there's life, there's hope.' You have to remember that as well, Leela, and don't ever let those negative thoughts take over. It's easy to do, and I say that from personal experience.  
  
Leela: What do you mean, mom?  
  
Munda: (Looking over sharply for a moment) That's a story that I'm not ready to tell yet. Maybe someday, but not now.  
  
Leela: (Thinking for a moment) I understand, mom, and thanks for filling me in on your and dad's past a little more. I'm going to check and see if there are any messages for me, and if not, I'm going to leave one for Fry. I think I need to let him know how much I miss him.  
  
Leela got up to leave, and Morris and Munda got up with her. She hugged them warmly, and looked at them for a minute.  
  
Leela: Thanks mom, dad, for letting me become a part of your lives again. I'm so glad to have someone here for me.  
  
Munda: That's all right, dear, and you come visit us anytime. When Fry gets back, you be sure to bring him with you. I know we can't replace his family, but we'd be glad to have him come by and visit us.  
  
Leela: Thanks mom, I'll do that. Bye dad, I'll talk to you later.  
  
Morris: Okay, Leela, and we'll always be around to help out if it's possible.  
  
Leela said her good-byes one more time, and then headed out into the darkness. The door closed, and she faintly heard raised voices inside.  
  
Munda: (Irritated) What do you mean, you thought his companion was pretty? What was I, chopped liver?  
  
Morris: Honey, how couldn't I notice her? She wore those, well, fairly skimpy clothes. Frankly, I don't know why she didn't freeze down here. Anyway, we weren't even dating then, so why are you mad?  
  
Munda: I'm not mad. Don't try to tell me how I feel.  
  
Morris: Oy. Time for an aspirin, so I'd better check the water-flow. Bye,  
  
Leela! We'll see you later.  
  
Leela gasped and stepped back. How had her dad known she was still out there? As she walked away, she smiled to herself. What would it be like that when she got married? If she got married to Fry would they be able to get along with each other? Or would the differences between them be insurmountable? So many questions. Sighing lightly, she headed back towards the stairs, taking a little more time so that she could think to herself.  
  
Leela: I really want to hear Fry's -- Philip's -- voice now, just to hear him say something. I wouldn't even mind if he spewed crumbs on me.  
  
With that thought, she picked up her pace and hurried back to the stairs. Back inside Planet Express, she hurried over to the video monitor and checked her email.  
  
Monitor: You've got mail!  
  
Leela: (Smiling) Yes! Come on, please be from Fry.  
  
The monitor beeped once and displayed the image of Zapp Branigan.  
  
Zapp: This message is for the luscious lady Leela. I wanted to see if you and I could make some sweet, sweet music together, and then go back to my lovenasium for some sexifying loving. How about it, babe? You miss the candy, don't you? That sweet, sweet.  
  
Leela: (Disgustedly) Ugh. I can't believe I fell for his stupid trick the first time.  
  
She jabbed the "Delete" button. As an afterthought, she pushed "Flame" also, and smiled to herself.  
  
Leela: Let's see, are there any others? Come on Fry.  
  
She scrolled down and saw a message header that read simply, . She opened it and smiled happily when Fry's face appeared.  
  
Fry: (Smiling shyly) Hi, Leela, I just wanted to get you this message before I left. We're getting ready to leave the system in a few days, and I wanted us to have a chance to sorta see one another before I left. If you have some free time on the twentieth, then I'll be on the net at the Planet Express web page at one o'clock your time. I miss you a lot, and I just wanted you to know I love you. If you can be free, I'll see you then. Bye for now.  
  
Leela froze the image, and gently touched Fry's cheek on the screen.  
  
Leela: (Softly) I'll see you then, Fry. I'll see you then.  
  
Leela sat back and started to compose a letter. She would tell him a little more about her own feelings, and let him know that she hadn't forgotten about him either.  
  
Well, here's the second Chapter. I know that not a lot happened here, but I just wanted to take my time with the story. I hope nobody minds, but I wanted to get a little back-story for Fry and Leela, and while it might not be the most interesting thing in the world, I'm a history buff, and thought it would be nice to introduce a little history to Fry's family.  
  
There actually was an airship named the USS Shenandoah (ZR-1). Her first flight was on September 4, 1923, and her final one was on September 3, 1925. The ship was on a PR tour in the mid-western United States, and got caught in a thunderstorm. The control cabin was ripped from the hull and the captain and crew inside of it fell several thousand feet to their deaths. The rest of the ship broke up soon after, and slammed into the ground. All together, 14 men lost their lives. If you want to find out more about this vessel, go to the following sites: ive just let me know via email at wbc31@hotmail.com, and be sure to mention Futurama fan fiction in the subject line, else I'll delete it along with the several dozen spams that I seem to get every day now. 


	3. A Stitch in time

No More Fun and Games 2, part 3  
  
Day 32  
  
A Stitch in Time.  
  
Fry literally fell onto his bed. Finally, it was the end of his shift. Even after working as a new delivery boy for the last few days now, he'd still not gotten used to an actual full workday that consisted of 10 hours of work time and 14 hours of rest time. It was hard to do without getting pretty sleepy sometimes. He looked forward to some much-needed shut-eye, though he couldn't shake the feeling that he was forgetting something.  
  
Fry: (Sleepily) Well, I'll remember later, after I get some rest.  
  
Fry dozed off almost as soon as his head hit the pillow. Five minutes later, the alarm on his new wrist computer went off. Fry lurched up and pushed a button on it, and the alarm stopped. After another five minutes, a little piece of metal, similar in shape to a pick-ax, came out of the end of the computer, and gently tapped back and forth on his wrist, before withdrawing back into the unit. Fry mumbled and turned over, still fast asleep. Five minutes later, the little pick-ax came out again, and gently pressed Fry's wrist. ZAP! Fry woke up instantly.  
  
Fry: (Sharply) Yeow! I hate this thing sometimes! No wonder Leela's such an early riser. She has to beat this thing to the punch.  
  
In the bunk above him, his roommate sleepily mumbled something.  
  
CC: (Yawning) It's time for your date, remember?  
  
Fry sat up, only narrowly missing smacking his head.  
  
Fry: (Excitedly) Oh crap! I forgot all about our virtual date. I'd better hurry and see if there's a terminal available. Oh man, Leela's gonna kill me.  
  
Fry got dressed quickly, and left the room in a hurry, running down the hall and taking an elevator to the Internet Café. He'd learned that in the GBB, while you could use the Internet, the only way one could pay for it was with credits earned by doing excellent work. So far, Fry had earned just enough for three hours' use.  
  
Fry: (To the café manager) Excuse me, sir? Are there any available terminals?  
  
Café Manager: Sure. Go on down the hallway, turn right, and go in the room labeled terminal # 17  
  
Fry: Thanks.  
  
Following the directions, he ran down the hall, and sure enough, the terminal was there, and available. Fry hesitated outside the entrance for a moment, then thought back, to when CC had given him a quick guide on how to use the terminals.  
  
(Flashback)  
  
CC: Okay Fry, I don't guess you've used an Internet terminal like this before, have you?  
  
Fry: (A little nervously) No, the one we had at my old job was the kind with a helmet and gloves. There wasn't a room like this at all.  
  
CC: Okay, well here's how they work. You don't have a helmet or anything like that, it's just the room itself, and some of these 'net gloves. Now, go on and step inside, and don't worry, I've messed with these thing all the time back home. It just sounds like your old boss hasn't upgraded his equipment in a long time. All right, now, just start walking, like you normally would.  
  
Fry hesitated for a moment, then took a few steps. To his amazement, the floor seemed to move with him, and he saw that he'd not changed his position.  
  
CC: (Laughing) See? In the booth, you can walk around, talk to people and interact with them on the Internet, and it seems almost like the real world. All you need is to have the gloves on, so that you have a sense of touch, and you'd probably be able to live out your life online.  
  
Fry: Cool. Do they charge you for using the terminals here? I never had to pay for it at the Professor's place.  
  
CC: (Reading from an e-manual) From what I see here, we've gotta have a certain amount of credits saved up, and since we only just graduated, I think we'll only have a few hours that we can use for now. However, the more work we do, the more credit we get, which you can apply to anything that you want that's on the ship. So, we'd better get busy, so you can get some time saved up if you want to keep your date.  
  
Fry: I hear that. Come on; let's go see what we can do.  
  
(Flashback ends)  
  
Fry hesitated for another moment, but knowing that he was keeping Leela waiting, if she hadn't already left, made him venture in and close the door. He put on the Internet gloves, and hit the enter button. The next thing he saw was the virtual world.  
  
Fry: (Softly) Wow. I still get a kick out of this. I wish we'd had this back in the twentieth century, I could have stayed here all day. But, I've only got three hours, so I'd better hurry it up.  
  
Fry stepped up to a virtual terminal, and spoke into it.  
  
Fry: Planet Express web-site, please.  
  
The next thing he knew, he was outside of a virtual reproduction of the Planet Express building, but there was no Leela to be seen. He hoped that he she hadn't gotten bored and gone home. Just then, he felt, rather than heard somebody behind him, and turned just in time to get the full impact of Leela grabbing him up in a hug.  
  
Leela: Gotcha! I bet you thought I'd gone home, didn't you?  
  
Fry: (Sheepishly) Yeah, I was a little worried.  
  
Leela: (A little irritated) Oh Fry! I know that you're a lot busier than you were with us. I knew you'd come. I just decided to make you sweat a little bit. You're lucky that we're not playing laser commandos, or I'd have put you down, like that.  
  
Leela snapped her fingers as she finished, and Fry smiled back at her.  
  
Fry: (Happily) Oh yeah? Well, when I have some more credits built up, then you and I are going to go a round. I'll bet I could take you.  
  
Leela walked up to Fry and put her arms around him.  
  
Leela: (Smiling) Well, hurry up and keep on doing a good job, so we can have a chance to see each other more often, okay?  
  
They shared a small kiss, and held each other for a moment longer. Finally, they broke apart and looked at one another again.  
  
Fry: (A little sadly) Oh man, Leela. I really miss you. I wish that this was the real you, and not just some virtual copies of us. I keep counting the days till we can spend some time together; I mean, you know, the real us.  
  
Leela: (Smiling) I know, Fry, but don't worry; someday soon, we'll get to spend all the time in the world with each other. In the meantime, we'll have to make do with this. So, let's spend what time together that we can, and go do something fun.  
  
Fry: OK! Hey, how about we go to the virtual head museum? There's somebody there that I wanted to talk to since he came back to Earth.  
  
Leela: All right then, this is your day, so we'll try to do as much as we can. Hey, we're not going to go see Lucy Liu, are we?  
  
Fry: (Laughing) Nah, why do I need to see someone like her, when I've got the prettiest girl in the universe with me now. Come on, let's hurry up. I've only got three hours for us to be together.  
  
They started walking, making small talk and catching up with each other, Leela noticing more than ever that Fry seemed unable to take his eyes off her.  
  
Leela: (Thinking) Huh, I really am lucky that I met Fry. I'll be damned if I'm going to let my negativism run my life, like I used to. I deserve happiness too, and I'm not going to let go of the guy that tried to give it to me. Now, I wonder what.  
  
Leela jerked up suddenly, and she felt rather than saw Fry stop. Looking up, she saw the virtual head museum, and wondered whom it was that Fry wanted to see here.  
  
Fry: Come on Leela, it's free on Tuesdays, remember? That's how Bender and I were able to get in that time.  
  
Leela smiled. Fry and Bender had tried to impersonate heads, and though she'd seen right through their scheme, she had admired them for trying something different. Then she remembered that dumb-ass cop that had made fun of her nose, and scowled for a moment.  
  
Fry looked over, and grinned.  
  
Fry (Trying to sound sexy) Hey Leela, it'd be nice if you'd been chasing me just for my body, huh?  
  
Leela smiled at that. Fry always tried to make her happy, and it was sometimes impossible not to get caught up in his enthusiasm.  
  
Leela: (Laughing softly) Come on, doofus, let's go and see whoever it is.  
  
They walked up to the entrance, and went on inside. Fry stopped, and scrolled through a terminal until he came to a name that Leela couldn't make out clearly. She saw him hit the enter button, and then a form resolved itself in front of them.  
  
Leela: (Her hand on her forehead) Oh, Lord no.  
  
She said this as the virtual head, appearing on a pedestal, took on the form of William Shatner.  
  
Fry: (Excitedly) Wow, Mr. Shatner, you can't believe how great it is to see you again, sir.  
  
William Shatner: Hello, welcome to the head museum, where the knowledge of the ages awaits.just a minute, don't I know you?  
  
Fry: Yeah, remember me? My friends and I came to the world that Melllvar created for you and the rest of the original cast. You and my captain got into a fight, and we rescued you, and brought you and all the original episodes back to Earth.  
  
As Fry said this, he gestured towards Leela, and she smiled nervously, the kiss (and more) that she'd shared with Shatner coming to the forefront of her memories.  
  
For his part, Shatner smiled warmly at her.  
  
Shatner: Oh yes, Captain Leela, you were a great opponent. I wish that I wasn't simply a head now; we seemed to have quite a connection between us, you know.  
  
Leela: (Warily) Yes, well, it was great to have worked with you, but I'm involved with someone now.  
  
Leela hooked her arm around Fry's as she said this, and was relieved to see that Shatner appeared to have gotten the hint.  
  
Shatner: Oh, well that is wonderful and I must say, congratulations, Mr. Fry. She's a very lovely woman, and you should always take care of her. You know that's part of what makes being a head so difficult sometimes. I can still remember having a body, being with my wife, and going out to places with my friends, riding a horse, counting my lines.  
  
Shatner sighed as he said this, and Fry felt sad for a moment. He'd only wanted to talk with his childhood hero some more, not make him feel bad. Suddenly, another head formed off to one side, and Fry and Leela both gasped when they saw whom it was.  
  
Ricardo Montalban: Greetings, and welcome to the head museum. Hello, to all of the visitors that are here today, who wish to gain knowledge, and the power that comes with it.  
  
Shatner: Ricardo, what are you doing here?  
  
Montalban: Bill, my old friend, you know as well as I that today is my day to conduct the guided tours. Come, seekers of knowledge, let us explore those pathways, together.  
  
Shatner: (Irritated) They came to see me, old friend.  
  
Fry and Leela looked at each other nervously for a moment, and then Fry started to speak.  
  
Fry: Excuse me, but maybe we should just go now and.  
  
Fry stopped, as the two heads turned slightly towards each other.  
  
Montalban: Why Bill, I hope that you don't think of me as taking your own glory away from you. You've always been such a valued and trusted friend.  
  
Shatner: Yes Ricardo, of course. Well, I understand that Spy Kids 37 needs you for the grandfather role again, why don't you go on and try out for that, while I show these folks around.  
  
Montalban: (Silkily) Oh, very well, Old. Friend. By the way, I understood that you lost your role in Miss Congeniality part 22 to Seth Green; I guess the producers decided that it was more suited to someone with younger blood. That, and he still has all of his original hair, hmm?  
  
Shatner's eyes bulged, and Fry thought that if he could have leapt out of his jar, he would have.  
  
Shatner: Montalban!!!!  
  
Fry and Leela looked around, as the scream echoed around the virtual museum, and Leela glanced back over at the two heads as they argued. Just then, she felt a light touch on her arm, and looked to see that Fry was inclining his head towards the exit. Her eye opened wide for a moment; Fry didn't want to see these two argue? But she took his hand in her own, and the pair left the museum hurriedly as the two heads continued to bicker.  
  
Montalban: .and I also understand that they need an Esperanto teacher down at the kindergarten class. Oh yes, I forgot, it never quite caught on, did it, my old comrade in theater?  
  
Shatner (Sputtering): Why, how, dare you, even attempt to, try and defeat, me, in a game of wits.  
  
Fry and Leela ran down the steps, and Leela found herself laughing: whether from relief or nervousness, she wasn't sure. She turned to see Fry smiling at her.  
  
Fry: Hey, are you okay, Leela? I wouldn't have taken us there if I'd known that those two were going to get into it. You know what, why don't we do something that you'd like to do? You always put me ahead of yourself, and I'd like to do something that you want for a change. You do deserve it, you know? Come on, I've still got another two and a half-hours to go.  
  
Leela: (Smiling) Okay... I know. How about we go to the virtual beach? I've always liked to go look at the ocean, even if it's just a virtual one. We never got to do that when I was in the orphanarium, so it's always been a treat for me.  
  
Fry: (Happily) Great! I can make a sandcastle, and play in the surf, and we can just hang out for a while.  
  
Leela: Good, then that means that I can also try out my new bathing suit!  
  
Fry: New bathing suit? Oh boy! I can't wait to see you in it. I mean, just to let you know, as long as I'm with you, whatever you wear is fine by me.  
  
Leela: Good, because after we go to the beach, I'd like you to take me shopping. I want to buy some new clothes, to celebrate me becoming a little more spontaneous.  
  
The couple grabbed each other's virtual hands and walked off together, and the hours passed quickly. Finally, Fry looked up and saw a terminal, with one minute left on it. He turned to look at Leela, and sighed heavily.  
  
Fry: I'm sorry Leela, I've got to go. My time's almost up.  
  
Leela: (A little sadly) I know, Fry. I'm glad we could spend this time together. You'll still write to me, won't you?  
  
Fry: (Grinning) Heck yeah! And I promise, if I find a ham that nobody's accepted for delivery, then I'll send it to you for Nibbler, all right?  
  
Leela: (Smiling again) Okay. Just, please promise me that you'll take care of yourself.  
  
Fry: (Looks into Leela's eye) I promise.  
  
Suddenly an alarm went off and Fry started to fade away  
  
Fry: (Hurriedly) Leela! I love you!  
  
Leela: I love you too, Fry. Take care!  
  
The next thing Fry knew, he was back in the real world. He took off the gloves and opened the door with a deep sigh.  
  
Fry: (To himself) Please, take care of yourself too, Leela.  
  
Meanwhile, back at the Planet Express building, Leela was taking off her own equipment. Amy was sitting on a chair, against the wall, with an excited look on her face.  
  
Amy: (Hurriedly) Well, what happened, where'd you go, what' you do, tellmetellmetellme, please?!  
  
Leela chuckled softly, and sat down next to her.  
  
Leela: We met outside the Planet Express web-site, and we went swimming at the beach, and did a little shopping, and just generally had a fun time together.  
  
Amy: (Disappointedly) That's it! I thought maybe you guys would hit some of the more, ah, interesting spots, if you know what I mean.  
  
Leela: (A little sharply) Amy! Fry and I would rather wait until we can spend our time together for real, and when it's completely genuine, not just virtual.  
  
Amy: (Abashedly) I'm sorry, Leela. I didn't mean to be so smutty-sounding just then.  
  
Leela put her hand on Amy's arm and looked at her gently.  
  
Leela: (Whispering) It's okay. I know what you mean, and to tell the truth, I thought about going "someplace" with him more than once today. But, I do really want to wait for us to be with each other for real; you know what I mean?  
  
Amy: Yeah, I know. So, where'd you go, what'd you buy?  
  
Leela stood up and stretched for a moment, and Amy got up beside her. The two started to walk to the door together. Amy looked at Leela pleadingly, and Leela laughed out loud, feeling more relaxed than she had in the last week.  
  
Leela: Well, let's see, first off, I picked up a new tank top, in an off white color. Then I found these really nice boots, they had this electric blue stripe that went down the side, and then.  
  
To be continued 


End file.
